This invention relates in general to electric heating assemblies, and more particularly, to a support member for the electrical insulators of the assembly, and to a method of manufacturing such support members.
Electric heating assemblies of the type having a resistance element connected to a source of electricity and mounted on suitable support structures including electrical insulators are used in various applications. Such assemblies may be used independently, for example to provide heat for a space or a room. Alternatively, such assemblies may be incorporated into a larger piece of equipment; for example, resistance heaters may be included in air conditioning units to provide warm air when required.
In order to insure the integrity of the assembly, it is essential that the insulators be firmly locked in position once located upon the support members of the assembly. In the prior art, the utilization of conventional fasteners, such as screws or rivets, has increased the material cost in providing an assembly, as well increased the manufacturing cost due to the necessary labor and/or machine tool operations involved in securing the fasteners. Heretofore, as an alternative to the utilization of conventional fasteners, the base of the insulators have been formed with grooves to lock the insulators on the support members. The foregoing is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 1,698,282. In order to utilize such alternative means, the insulators are rotated 90.degree. so the grooves formed on the base may be brought into contact with tracks formed along the transversely extending edges of a support member. Such alternate to the utilization of conventional fasteners is more complicated than the invention to be described hereinafter.